Elevating mechanism for fruit-evaporators



n No. 474,892.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Model.)A

J. M. WIT-HROW. ELEVATING MEGHANISM EUR FRUIT EVAPORATORS.

Patented Ma-y 17, 1892..

mwa" uw Umfllllh'i me man s paens co (No Model.) l 2 sheetssheen 2.

\ J. M. WITHROW.

BLEVATING MEGHAJMSM PoR FRUIT BV'APORATOBS. No. 474,892. l Patented May 17, 1892;.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. WITHROW, OF BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS.

`ELEVATING MECHANISM FOR FRUIT-EVAPORATORS. V

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 474,892, dated May 17, 1892.

Application filed May 19, 1891. Serial No. 393,330. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN M. WITHRow, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Bentonville, in the county of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Elevatin g Mechanism for Fruit-Evaporators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tray-elevators for fruit-evaporators; and it has for its object to provide a device for elevating the trays in the shaft or tower of fruit-evaporators to a slide or carriage located at the upperend of such tower, by means of which the uppermost tray may be conveniently removed.

The invent-ion consists in the improved cony struction, arrangement, and combination of Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I provide a frame-work consisting of vertical pieces or uprights 1 1, with longitudinal base-pieces or sills 2 2 and 3 3, secured at` their lower ends to their inner and outer sides, respectively. Similar longitudinal pieces 4 4 and 5 5 are secured near their upper ends to their inner and outer sides, respectively, and the sides thus formed are connected by means of the transverse brace-rods 6, having nuts 7, which are tightenednp against the inner and outer sides of the frame, which are thus firmly connected and properly spaced. The frame struct ure is provided near its lower end with longitudinal supporting-cleats 8, having stops 9 at their rear ends. The entire structure is to be boarded up or walled up, so as to form atower, at the lower end of which dry hot air is admitted for the purpose of evaporating the moisture from the contents; but such walls have been omitted in the drawings hereto annexed for the purpose of showing the interior construction more clearly.

To the outer sides of the sills 3 and braces 5 at the front and rear ends of'the frame are secured vertical cleats 10 and 11, and between the latter and the uprights 1 at the rear corners of the frame are pivoted the t levers 12, which are extended between the cleats 10 and front uprights 1 and provided with weights 13, by means of which they are normally held in alowered positionz Between the uprights 1 and the cleats 10 and 11 at the upper corners of the frame are pivoted the links 14, the lower ends of which are connected by the pivoted rods 15 with the guides 16, the lower ends of which are connected pivotally with the levers 12. The guides 16 are composed of two vertical parallel strips straddling the lhorizontal brace 5 and connected by suitable bolts, which also serve to connect them pivotally with the levers 12 and connecting-rods 15. Between the sills 2 and 3 and the braces 4 and 5 at each side of the machine are secured the verticallyslotted uprights 17, two of which are located at each side ot' the frame. Adjacent to said uprights are mounted the vertically-,movable slides 18, which are also provided with vertical slots. In the slotted uprights 17 and slides 18 are mounted the pivoted dogs or latches 19, which project inwardly and are held normally in a horizontal position by the transverse pins 20. The dogs or latches 19 of the slides 18 are arranged intermediately between those of the slotted uprights 17, and the upper ends of said slides are connected by links 21 with the connecting-rods 15. To the inner sides of the sides of the frame are secured the horizontal tracks 22, which are extended a suitable distance in front of the frame to support the longitudinally-movable carriage 23. The latter consists of side pieces 24, which are lsuitably connected by transverse rods 25, so as to form a frame, which is provided at its front and rear corners with downwardly-extending hangers 26, in which are pivoted the lugs or latches 27, which extend inwardly toward the middle ot' the carriage, being at right angles to the dogs or latches 19, pivoted in the uprights 17, and the vertically-movable slides 18. The dogs 27 are also so located as to be directly above the upper- IOO most dogs 19 of the uprights 17 when the carriage is pushed back between the sides of the frame, and the distance between the front and rear hangers 26 is equal to the length of the tray 2S, which latter is of course made of a width to fit upon the cleats 8 between the sides of the frame.

29 designates a transverse shaft, which is journaled at the upper front corners of the frame and upon which are wound the ropes or chains 29', having weights 30 at their free ends and having their opposite ends connected with the front ends of the weighted levers One end of the shaft 29 is provided with a crank or handle 3l, by means of which it may be conveniently manipulated.

The` casing of the device is to be provided with suitably-arranged doors, through which the trays may be admitted and removed; but these doors have not been shown in the drawings hereto annexed inasmuch as they form no part of the present invention.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. The trays are inserted at the lower cud of the casing upon the cleats 8 and are pushed back upon the latter until arrested by the stops 9. After the insertion of each tray the operator manipulates the shaft 29, so as to raise the weighted front end of the levers 12. The latter,being connected with the slides 18 by means of the guides 16, connecting rods 15, and links 2l, will raise the said slides, causing the dogs in the latter to engage the under side of the tray and to lift the latter from the cleats S to the dogs or latches at the lower ends of the slotted uprights 17, Where the said tray is supported. A second tray is then inserted and the operation of the levers 12 is repeated, thus lifting the first trayto the dogs or latches next above and the second tray to the lowermost dogs or latches, and this operation is repeated after the insertion of each tray until the first or uppermost tray is lifted onto the latches 27,pivoted to the hangers 26 of the carriage 23. The carriage is then slid or moved in an outward direction upon the projecting front ends of the cleats 22, thus euabling the tray to be conveniently removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim ils- -1. In a device of the class described, the combination of the frame having thehorizontal side cleats provided with stops at their rear ends, the vertically-slotted uprights having pivoted dogs or latches, the verticallymovable slotted slides having dogs or latches arranged between those of the slotted uprights, the horizontal cleats or tracks arranged near the upper end of the frame and extended in front of the latter, and the carriage mounted to ride upon said tracks and having pendent hangers provided with dogs or latches at right angles to those in the uprights and the vertically-movable slides of the frame, and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device ofl the class described, the combination of the frame having the vertically-slotted uprights located at opposite sides and provided with pivoted dogs or latches, the oppositely-located vertically-movable slides having pivoted dogs or latches, the weighted opposite levers pivoted at their rear ends to the frame-work 12, the guides 16, located between the vertically-slotted uprights, connect ing-rods 15, pivoted at their inner ends to the guides, links 14, pivoted at their lower ends to the rods 15 and at their upper ends to the frame-work, links 2l, connecting the rods 15 with the upper ends of the vertically-movable slides, a transverse shaft journaled at the upper front corners of the frame, the ropes or chains coiled upon said shaft and having their ends connected with the free ends of the Weighted levers, and balance-Weights at the free ends of said ropes or chains, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination, with the frame having uprights and vertically-movable slides provided with inwardly-extending pivoted dogs or latches and provided with horizontal tracks extended in front of the frame, of a carriage mounted to ride upon said tracks and having depending hangers provided with dogs or latches, pivoted at right angles to those in the uprights,

and vertically-movable slides of the frame,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. WITHROW.

IVitnesses:

N. R. BEACH, J. D. BRYAN.

IOC 

